Earophanta Semenov, 1903

Chigray, Svetlana N., Nabozhenko, Maxim V., Chigray, Ivan A. & Abakumov, Evgeny V., 2022, A revision of the Palaearctic Pimeliini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae): a comparative analysis and systematic position of Eastern European and Asian taxa with dorso-lateral eyes, European Journal of Taxonomy 809, pp. 1-71 : 49-52

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2022.809.1719
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A754493E-5466-4479-B515-AABEDDE09D93
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6885360
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FC8666-555A-FFB5-5079-B88EFC5FFD64
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Earophanta Semenov, 1903
status

Treatment

Genus Earophanta Semenov, 1903

Figs 7 View Fig , 13E, F View Fig , 22 View Fig , 23H View Fig , 24E View Fig , 25B View Fig , 26G View Fig , 28C View Fig

Earophanta Semenov, 1903b: 172 (replacement name for the elimination of the homonymy).

Earophila Semenov, 1903a: 9 View in CoL (type species: Platyope serrata Semenov, 1893 , by original designation; as subgenus of Platyope ; homonym, nec Earophila Gumppenberg, 1887 View in CoL ).

Earophilina Strand, 1917: 99 (unnecessary replacement name for the elimination of the homonymy).

Earophanta – Skopin 1959: 72 –75 (larvae); 1962: 260–261, 281 (larvae). — Medvedev & Nepesova 1985: 44 (in key).

Type species

Platyope serrata Semenov, 1893 , by original designation.

Species included

Earophanta beludzhistana Bogatchev, 1957 , E. collaris (Fischer von Waldheim, 1844) , E. holdhausi Reymond, 1937 , E. pilosissima (Reitter, 1895) , E. planidorsis ( Reitter, 1889) , E. pubescens Skopin, 1960 , E. serrata ( Semenov, 1893) , E. tomentosa ( Semenov, 1893) . Species below are listed from the west ( Turkmenistan) to the east (Eastern Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan) distribution.

Diagnosis

Body black, robust, wide, oval, completely or partially covered with dense white, grey or yellowish recumbent setae, elytra with moderate or large tubercles and serrate lateral margins ( Fig. 7A–D View Fig ). Body length 7.5–17 mm. Eyes circular, convex in dorsal view.

Pronotum transverse (1.7–2.25 × as wide as long) ( Fig. 7A–D View Fig ). Lateral margins usually strongly rounded in dorsal view. Disc of pronotum strongly or moderately convex, with triangular depressions in base, with strong, acute, spinose tubercles. Prosternum without depression along anterior margin. Procoxae usually very large and prosternum before procoxae very short (15× as short as longitudinal diameter of procoxae in E. serrata ) ( Fig. 7D View Fig ). Prosternal process wide between procoxae and sharply narrowed at

apex, not raised between procoxae or protruding beyond procoxae. Procoxal cavities closed, postcoxal bridges complete ( Fig. 25B View Fig ).

Elytra with double or simple humeral ribs consisting of longitudinal row/rows of very coarse, strong, acute, spine-like tubercles and seems serrate ( Fig. 13E View Fig ). Dorsal surface of elytra with 2–4 longitudinal lines (sometimes irregular) of moderate or large shining spine-like tubercles ( Fig. 7F View Fig ) and dense setation between them, forming striped or spotted pattern. Each tubercle with very long, erected seta. Surface between tubercles densely or sparsely microgranulated (some setae located on microgranules).

Scutellar shield almost concealed by base of pronotum ( Fig. 7A–C View Fig ), but sometimes open ( E. beludzhistana ) ( Fig. 7E View Fig ); elytral surface around scutellar shield usually weakly depressed. Ventral side densely pubescent. Intercoxal process of abdominal ventrite 1 wide, near 1.7–2× as wide as one metacoxa ( Fig. 7D View Fig ).

Pro- and mesotrochanters usually with long, dense pubescence. Pro- and mesofemora weakly curved outward, protibiae straight, meso- and metatibiae curved along elytral lateral vertical side. Outer margin of protibiae with 5–7 very large and long sparse teeth and sometimes with several small teeth, widened to apex, sub-triangular, without projecting process at apex of outer margin ( Figs 26G View Fig , 28C View Fig ). Protibiae of Earophanta beludzhistana have four teeth in basal part and flattened undulate lamina (merged teeth) in distal part ( Fig. 7F View Fig ). Length of largest teeth is at least one third of width of protibia at apex. Tibial terminal spurs as in Platyope . Protibiae often curved outward ( Fig. 7A, C–F View Fig ), but sometimes straight ( E. planidorsis ) ( Fig. 7B View Fig ). Mesotibiae always curved outward, metatibiae straight. Tarsi as in Platyope .

Male genitalia ( Fig. 22A–H View Fig )

Inner sternite VIII ( Fig. 22H View Fig ) widely sclerotized, except for weakly sclerotized median part, densely covered with long setae; anterior margin with round, wide median emargination, with extremely dense pubescence; gland straight, very long and completely sclerotized. Rods of spiculum gastrale ( Fig. 22G View Fig ) narrowly connected at apex; derivatives of inner sternite IX elongate, more or less evenly sclerozited.

Tegmen of aedeagus long, slender, fusiform, with apical piece longer than basal piece ( Fig. 22A–C View Fig ). Apical piece weakly curved, ventral apophyses unclear, dorsal apophyses usually very short and merged. Basal piece with small, separated apex. Median lobe ( Fig. 22D–F View Fig ) weakly curved, with clear narrow baculi, merged basally; base not bifurcated, apex acutely angulate.

Female genitalia

Spiculum ventrale ( Fig. 22I View Fig ) with long and sharply widened at apex common stem, thin rods and often with weak sclerotized area between them, apophyses of sternite VIII comparatively short, acutely angulate at apex.

Ovipositor ( Fig. 22J–L View Fig ) long and moderately sclerotized. Coxite lobe I with baculi, strongly sclerotized distally; lobes II and III merged into one moderately sclerotized plate; apical lobe fossorial, transformed to strongly sclerotized and rounded apically scoop-like plates. Paraproct with long and narrow ventral baculi and very short additional dorsal baculi. Vulva without sclerotized areas. Only coxite with sparse pubescence of moderately long and short setae; paraproct with very short setae on margins near coxite. Proctiger with long, narrow baculi and rounded apical margin.

Female genital ducts ( Fig. 23H View Fig )

Very similar to those in Platyope , with single-tube long spermatheca and long, constricted basally accessory gland.

Distribution

Turkmenistan (Karakum Desert), Uzbekistan (Kyzylkum Desert), South-Eastern Kazakhstan (Muyunkum Desert), China (Xinjiang), North Afghanistan, Pakistan.